Fluid-pressure-operated ice-scoring machine



June 12, 1928. 1,673,623

(2. D. HELM FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED ICE SCORING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1927 cmnnnnmm- Patehted June 12, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE D. HELM, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 'IO PERFECTION ICE SCORING MACHINE COMPANY, OF WAGO, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

FLUID-PRESSURE-OPERATED ICE-SCORING MACHINE.

Application filed September 13, 1927.

My invention relates to ice scoring machines and more particularly to certain improvements for making such machines automatic in action; and the object is to provide machines which are simple .in construction and operation and which can be made and installed at relatively small expense. Another object is to provide pneumatic means for handling blocks of ice. The advantage in is that the blocks of ice can be more easily and readily elevated and shifted. Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed is out in the claim-s. 1

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

a Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the pneumatic control.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the gearing.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the two valve casings and the valves.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of one of the valves and the casing therefor.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same views throughout the several parts.

The machine is provided with a frame, preferably of angle or channel bars. Bars 1 form a base to which are attached uprights 2 and 3. Longitudinal bars 4 and 5 are attached to the uprights 2 and 3 respectively. The machine frame is further braced by the cross bars 6 which are attached to uprights 2 and 3.

Shafts 7 are journaled in bearin s 8 which are attached to the uprights 2 and 3. Saws 9 for scoring the ice blocks are rigid with shafts 7. The machine has an extended frame provided with uprights 19 and long'itudinal beams 11 and cross beams 12 for bracing purposes. Vertical shafts 20 are journaled in bearings 13 which are attached to the beams 1 and 11. The shafts 20 are driven by bevel gear wheels 14 and saws 15 are rigid with and driven by the shafts for scoring the blocks of ice horizontally. The shaft 7 on the right hand side of the machine drives a gear wheel 14 by means of a gear wheel 21 which is rigid with shaft 7 and in this manner the shaft 20 on the right hand side of the machine is driven and so Serial No. 219,206.

drives the horizontally disposed, saw 15 on that side of the machine. The wheel 21 meshes with wheel 22 and drives a shaft 22. This shaft 22 drives a bevel gear wheel 23 which drives a bevel gear wheel 24 which is rigid with and drives a shaft 7 on the left hand side of the machine. The gear wheel 23 also drives a gear wheel 14 which is rigid with and drives a shaft 20 and saw 15 on the left hand side of the machine. All the gearing is driven from a motor 25 which drives a shaft 26. A sprocket wheel 27 is rigid with shaft 26 and drives a chain 28 which drives a sprocket wheel 29 which is rigid with shaft 7 on the rightside of the machine.

The motor 25 drives the pump 30 by means of a sprocket wheel 31 which drives a sprocket chain 32 and the chain 32 drives a sprocket wheel 33 which is rigid with the pump shaft. The pump 30 supplies the compressed air, or other fluid.

The machine is provided with a platform 34 for elevating and lowering the ice. The ice is elevated past the saws 9 which score the blocks vertically. The elevator 34 may be elevated by pneumatic or hydraulic means. Cylinders 35 and 36 are suspended from beams 4 and 5 by means of bolt holes 37 and bolts 38. The cylinders are provided with pistons and piston rods 39. The piston rods 39 are connected to the platform 34 by means of relatively wide brackets or connections 40.

Means are provided for moving the pistons in the cylinders 35 and 36. A pipe 41 leads from the pump 30 to a valve 42. The valve 42 has a disk 42 rigid with the stem thereof and the disk 42 has a notch 51 in its periphery. The valve 42 is connected to the lower ends of the cylinders 35 and 36 by means of a flexible conduit 43 which is connected to a nipple 44 on the casing of valve 42 and connected to a T-pipe 45 which is connected to pipes 46 which are connected to the lower ends of the cylinders 35 and 36. The valve 42 is provided with a handle or crank 47. A pull rod 48 operates the valve 42 by means of handle 47. A dog 49 is pivotally mounted on a bearing bar 50 which is rigidly attached to the beam 4. The

fill

open the valve so that-the fluid willpass through: andhoni into the cylinders 35* and 36 to raise the pistons in the cylinders. .The pistons raisethenplatform 34 .and -the block 6 of'i'ceQi The. saws"9score the sides of the block of ice as it goes upwardly. The dog 49 holds the valve 42 open untillthe dog is raised out of the notch 51. Provision is made for raising the dg- 49:-a utomatica1ly.

will-actuate the lever '601md the lever will then actuatethe valve 56-h)" reasonef the dog .Gengaging the notch 59 in the disk 56 and so turn the valve.and opemtheealne for theipassage of filiicl pressnre l to the cylinder 57." By this time th e block of ice has been lowered andrready to be moved out of the machine. The piston in cylinder 57 is connected toan'arm 66 by a rod 67. When m A rod 52 is pivotally connected to the dog the piston in cylinder 57 is moved by the 7 "v49landzprovided with a bt tton on th'e lower fiuid"pressure,-the"arni B6- ttill move the mend. VVhen the-block of--ice' reLIches'juSt bIQck of iceapasU'thesaws tvhich will .aebout itstnpper limit/of-travel ytlie platform "score the ice horizontally. Provisionis mil viill raise the trip rod 52-=and so release =made enclosing the valve fifi whefi the'a'rm I i the dogi-49dromthe valve 42. A s1 )riiig'53 G6 reaches its l'i mit anil has plished the "ice is attached td-th'e handle47 'and tothebear out of-the machine. A rod 68 is pivofially ing bar 50 for bringing-the va-lve42 to closed -'-connected-to eleven-G9 ivhiclr is -fulerumed mposifiion. PAt the saine -time the valve is on-the-machi-ne. Then-0d 68-"cnirries ii l ug "IlClQSQd. against the pa'ssage 'of compressed- 70 rigid =-therew'ith. The arm66=is"loosely -zn zfluid,*lthe valve 42- is opened to" the-exhaust connected to m nd slidable ofl the -i od' bfi h m! A pipe Misc; that the compressed flliidwill zpass is-adapted to' engagethe lug 70.-The shorL :5.fuomithescylinders' bacltthronghthe pipe-43 arm 71 of -lever'69 is'atlaptetl to-engflge'end vito:thewexhanSt ipe S hand its branchpipe' move a curved arm 72"of'the dog 64. Just 55. Fhe block of-ice will then force thepis-- as the ice-block'-is moved out of theqna- 2 tons Of oylinders 35and 36 down. chine the upper end of 'zmii 66wvil lf-pull no lifter-the valve42 is-elosed-"against the-"on the rod=68'-'by engaging tlie- IUQ ZO. The irrpassage of fl-nid' pressure to cylinders 35*and' rod 68 willacttmtethe'levei fiil to iiiove' the 36land theexhaust;is"openedthrongh'pipe dog 64 by pushin on the curved arni 72. 1- 545, the block of ice goes down. At'thesame l his wil'l release t ie dogii i -froln the disk soat-ime operations are cotnmenced tomovethe 'lfifi" of valve'fifi end the valve 56'f-ivill be on block of ice horizontallytowards the 'rearjof brought back twclo'edpositioh by avspring :nthe machine. The block of' ice is movedby 74. When the arm 66 has prformed its swifluid res'sure. "when the fiuid"pressure 1s funetionfof mov'ing" the-block of icevdut of cut-0 from the cylihdersi3-5 zvnd 36 by the 'the'maehineg the'arm isbrought back-to nor- 35 valve 42;the: pressurefean thembe-diverted Inal position hym spring-75.-"1t-'tlie"eu-ine w" mthrough a -va'lv'e' =56. eylindei' fii is pro-dime the valve56'is closed-to the "passage of -vided for moving 'the ice one ofthe machine. fluid pressure; it is br'oughtto exhanst' p'osi- Afiexible pipe 58is connectedto" thevalve tion s0 th'atthe pressure inthecylinder 57 F 156: and "to' theeylinder 57- for letting fhiidwill escape and let the piston go b'uck t0 in'thetcylinder to move the piston therein. normal position.

The valve 56 hasa-notch 'or recess 59 in a This invention is intendecl'to apply not disk 56"*which is' rigid with' the stem of only to sn'clr inachines as arc'hrcixfidethe valve 56. A lever 60 is -111'ade=tcmpo- =scribed but also'is intendedtocovei 'fihid I rarily rigid With-"the valve 56-f01' turning 'pressure' meansms=-usedfito ihove -ice bloeks thezvalve. A'r'od 61is"pivotally'connected contact with'scoring means'in any-type no to the lever 60and' slidably'connected to a ofimachine Or deV'ice for scoring-anarilifacbracketf62 which is attached to :theplnttured'ice. :f01II1I34. A lug-63 is ri'gidiwitlr'the rod 61. VVhat- I claim, is: =The lever 60 isaio'rmally looselymonntedon 11 "An ice*scoringmmcli'ine' having an u the'st'em of-valve56- The lever actuates righoframe; horizontal *-shafts -journaled 1n n5 a dog 64: which is pivotally'mounted thereonm aid. fr v d. migidr:witlygnidklhfg, When theblock of icereachesits upper'limit fiuid pressurefor moving a block of'icewerorapproxirnatelyr'its upper ilimitthe bracket "t-ically past saws-for scoring theme vertical- 62 will lift the TOd'LGL-by forcingtherlug 'ly,-'meansfor'aartoiliatically eutting ofi the upwardly. The lever 60 will be moved'iflfluid pressure to peninitthe{bleck'lof' ic'e to --anditl1e leverfwill bringi-thedog tiinto the descendvertica'llyqmst sa'id sawgtanthmeens --notch-59 of disk 56. K This rwill-locknthefor automatically dischargingfithei bl'e'clrfof "lever 60 and the'stem ofwalve 56 rigidly ic m fim together. When.the blocksof ice' wi-th the r 2'. 'An ice 'scoringima'chine:hirvingranou :m' platform' 34e-moves downwardlythe bracket right frame," horizonltallishafts zjournaledhn qm;

: '62'wil1 slideion the rod'61-untilthe'brackctv said frameiia'nd sawstrigidnvith"saiclashfifts, 62L-engages tl1e--lug-65 which was elevated. a-platform forvcarryirrg zu blecklofiicwflnid -.-t0 theidotted outline. position: when the pressurefimeans fornmoving saidn iatform I bracket lifted lug-63. The-bracket will verticallyand for: moving'i'the 'blbCklOfidCG .1 we then' pull "down on* the r'odi 61 and .the-rod: z againstnand pastrxsaidz saws! for scoringstheaq ice vertically,-and means actuated by said platform for automatically releasing the fluid pressure means for permitting the platform to descend.

3. An ice seoring'machine having an up right frame, horizontal shafts journaled in said frame and saws rigid with said shafts, a platform for carrying blocks of ice past said saws, fluid pressure cylinders provided with pistons and piston rods operatively connected to said platform for moving the same, a valve having an intake port and an exhaust port operatively connected tosaid cylinders, manually operated means for opening said intake port, and means set in the path of said platform and actuated by the movcniicnt of the platform for automatically closing said intake port and opening said exhaust port to permit said platform to descend.

l, An ice scoring machine having a fran'ie, shafts journaled in said frame and saws rigid with said shafts, a platform for carrying blocks of ice past said saws. fluid pressure cylinders provided with pistons and piston rods operatively connected to said platform for moving the same, a valve having an intake port for supplying fluid pres sure to said cylinders and an exhaust port eperatively connected to said cylinders to permit escape of fluid pressure from said cylinders, manually operated means for opening said intake port. means for holding said intake port open, means actuated by the movement of said platform for releasing said holding means, and means for automatically closing said intake valve and opening said exhaust VZLlVQtO permit said platform to return to normal position.

5. An ice scoring machine having an upright frame, horizontal shafts journaled in said frame, saws rigid with said shafts, a platform for carrying blocks of ice, fluid pressure cylinders mounted on said frame and provided with a valve having an in take port and an exhaust port and provided with pistons and piston rods all operatively connected with said platform for moving said platform vertically. means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders through said intake port, means operatively connected to said valve and said platform whereby the i'novement of said platform actuates said valve automatically to stop the supply of fluid pressure to said cylinders, and to open the exhaust, and means for driving said saws.

6. An ice scoring machine having an upright frame, horizontal shafts journaled in said frame, saws rigid with said shafts, a platform for carrying blocks of ice past said saws, fluid pressure cylinders mounted on said frame and provided with a valve hav ing an intake port and an exhaust port and said cylinders provided with pistons and piston rods, all operativ'cly connected with said platform for moving the same, means i for supplying fluidpressure through said intake port to said cylinders for actuating said pistons and piston rods, manually operated means for opening said intake port, means for temporarily locking said valve against movement, means set in the path of said platform and actuated by the movement "thereof for releasing "the locking means, and means for automatically closing said intake port and opening said exhaust port to permit said platform to return to normal position. 7. An ice scoring machine having an up right frame, horizontal shafts journalcd in, said frame, saws rigid with said shafts. fluid pressure means for moving a block of ice past said saws vertically and in contact with said saws for scoring the ice vertically, mcans'for auton'iatically cutting off the fluid pressure to permitthe block of ice to descend vertically past said saws, and fluid pressure actuated means for discharging a block of ice from the machine.

8. An ice scoring machine vhaving an up- 1 right frame and a horizontal extension, hor- -izontal shafts journaled in said upright frame and vertical "shafts journaled in said extension, saws rigid with said shafts; fluid "pressure actuated"platform for moving a block ofice in'said upright frame in contact with and past said saws, means; actuated by the movenient oil."saidplatform for releasing the 'fluid' pressure, and fluid"pressurc means for automaticallymoving the block ofice incon'tactf'with and past 'the'saws in 'said extension anddischarging-the block of ice from the machine.

"9. An ice scoring'machinehavinganupright frame and a'horizontal extension: sawsprovided with shafts journaled in said upright frame for scoring ice blocks vertically and saws provided with shafts 10111- naled in said extension for scoring ice blocks horizontally, a platform for carrying blocks of ice, fluid pressure means for moving said platform vertically in said upright frame past said saws, means for automatically releasing the fluid pressure to permit said platform to descend, and fluid pressure actuated means automatically started by said platform for moving said block of ice past the saws in said extension and out of the machine.

10. An ice scoring machine having an upright frame and a horizontal extension, saws provided with shafts journaled ln Sflltl upright frame for scoring blocks of ice vertically and saws provided with shafts journaled in said extension for scoring ice blocks horizontally, a platform for carrying blocks of ice, fluid pressure means for elevating said platform and means actuated by said platform for releasing the fluid pressure to permit said platform to descend, fluid pressure means for moving said blocks of ice through said extension for scoring the ice blocks and discharging the same from the machine, and means actuated by said platform automatically for starting the last mentioned fluid pressure means.

11. In an ice scoring machine, scoring means consisting of rotatable saws and shafts therefor a fluid pressure actuated platform for moving blocks of ice in contact with and past said saws, and a means actuated by the movement of said platform for releasing fluid pressure to permit platform to return to normal position.

12. In an ice scoring machine provided with scoring means, a fluid pressure actuated platform for moving blocks of ice in contact with and past said scoring means, means for producing fluid pressure to actuate theplatform during the scoring operation, and means set in the path of said platform and actuated by the movement thereof for releasing the fluid pressure.

13. In an ice scoring machine provided with scoring means, a fluid pressure actuated platform for moving blocks of ice in contact with said scoring means, and a valve having an intake port for supplying fluid pressure and an exhaust port, and means set in the path of said platform and actuated by the movement of the platform for moving the valve to close said intake port and open said exhaust port to permit said platform to return to normal position.

14. In an ice SCOllllg device provided with scoring means, fluid pressure actuated means for moving blocks of ice in contact with said scoring means, means for supplying fluid pressure to the moving means, and means actuated by the movement of said fluid pressure actuated means for releasing the fluid pressure to permit the said last mentioned means to return to normal position.

15. An ice scoring machine having driven scoring means, fluid pressure means and a platform actuated thereby for moving blocks of ice past and in contact with said scoring means, means actuated by said platform for automatically releasing the fluid pressure means therefrom to permit said platform to return to normal position, and fluid pres sure actuated means for automatically discharging blocks of ice from the machine.

16. An ice scoring machine having scor ing means consisting of rolatable saws and a shaft therefor, a fluid pressure actuated platform for moving ice blocks in contact with said scoring means, and means actuated by said platform to arrest the movement of the platform and permit the same to return to its normal position.

17 An ice scoring machine having scoring means for scoring ice vertically and horizontally consisting of rotatable saws, horizontal and vertical shafts for said saws, a fluid pressure actuated platform for moving blocks of ice in contact with saws on said horizontal shaft,'means actuated by said platform for arresting the vertical movement of the platform and to permit the same to return to its normal position, and fluid pressure actuated means operated by the movement of said platform to discharge blocks of ice from the machine and simultaneously to move the blocks of ice against the saws on said vertical shaft for scoring the ice blocks horizontally.

In testimony whereof, I set 12th day of March, 1927.

CLYDE D. HELM.

my hand, this 

